Rhode Island Governor: Will Unions Back Chafee?

Following up on my speculation about whether independent Lincoln Chafee might turn out to be the most liberal candidate in the race for governor in ...

Following up on my speculation about whether independent Lincoln Chafee might turn out to be the most liberal candidate in the race for governor in Rhode Island, I had a conversation with political consultant Joe Fleming.

Fleming told me that Chafee, a former Republican U.S. senator, might end up with union backing -- a reflection of his appeal to progressives. The key, Fleming said, is the Democratic primary, which features State Treasurer Frank Caprio and Attorney General Patrick Lynch.

Lynch is regarded as the more liberal of the two. According to Fleming, Lynch should be able to count on union support if he is the Democratic nominee, but that labor might prefer Chafee over Caprio.